Triple Crown

When three World Champions – Traversa, Fernandez and Angulo, are sailing at the one spot, you just know there has to be a story. The three legends share their tales of how they all answered the call of the wind to end up in Portugal and score some sweet sessions south of Lisbon and the renowned Guincho beach.

- Thomas Traversa, Victor Fernandez, Josh Angulo

THOMAS TRAVERSA

Here I am back in Portugal, around Lisbon to be more precise. Before boarding the plane in Marseille this morning, I did a little tour in the airport bookstore, as I like to do. More to loiter than to buy anything, since seeing so many books in one place awakens a desire to read, which I generally satisfy by flipping through a few magazines or reading the back cover of one or two paperbacks. Sometimes however I let go and, with hesitation and decision at the same time, grab a book that I rush to pay for before changing my mind.

Today the latest issue of National Geographic has caught my attention with its catchy title cover: “Drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling ... How do you get hooked?” As a passionate sportsman I think I have many addictions, such as physical effort addiction that I calm by running on windless days, addiction to performance that made me the competitor that I am and adrenaline addiction that leads me to sail in sometimes dangerous conditions.

TRAVELLING MAN

There is my addiction to windsurf of course, which I cannot mention without also talking about my need to travel, and the fascination that I have for meteorological weather maps. When I feel a strong desire to travel, I just have to look at different weather maps until I find a corner of the planet where wind and waves seem favourable for a windsurf trip. I usually start with Europe, Spain, Portugal, Canary Islands, and British Isles; why not take a look at Iceland, Norway too? Nothing in Europe, I go to the Caribbean and Cape Verde, the Indian Ocean, Africa or South America, depending on the season.